Knitting machine



Sept. 6, 1932. J. G. M. QOUDERT E' AL KNITTING MACHINE I Filed March 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /4/7brney.

P 1932- J. G. M. COUDERT ET AL 1,875,855

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 6; 1932. J. G. M. COUDER-T ET AL 11,375,855

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 11. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 JE N 'GEDEo irARIE coUn RT, ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX,

TERM 0E sT. ETIENNE, FRANCE 'T OFFICE;

nNn JEAN BArTIsTE KNITTING MAcrrINE Application filed March 11, 1931, Serial No. 521,857, and in France March 11, 1930.

At present the needles of flat knitting machines adapted to work in several colours are usually actuated by a thrust exerted on them by suitably perforated steel blades. The perforations correspond to the needles which have to remain at rest while the imperforate parts of the blades engage and push forward those which have to' come into action.

It will readily be understood that the cost of these prepared steel blades is considerable.

The object of the present invention is to enable a standard jacquard mechanism'employed in the making of woven fabrics, that is to say a mechanism employing paper .01 card patterns to be used in such knitting machines without modification. It thus becomes possible to actuate the needles of fiat knitting machines by using patterns made of card or paper, without the mode of reading and perforation employed in weaving being in any way changed. l

The accompanying drawings diagrammatically illustrate the invention. It will be understood however, that variations in the practical details of embodiment can be employed without the principle of the invention being in any way modified or afiected.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively, sectiona'l side views of three embodiments of the invention. I

Referring now to Figure 1, a bed comprises blades such as 1 disposed parallel to one another and equally spaced. They rest on two cradles 2 and 3 which carry spacing blocks 4: and 5. The cradles are connected together at their-ends by T irons or the'like which hold them parallel and render the whole system rigid.

Between the cradles, that is in thecentral space, the bed is open to permit the passage ofthe fingers of the automatic selecting mech- .anism.

ends of the tappets rest ona member 8 of the carriage which effects the feed and re- I traction of the tappets. The tappets are free in their places and can be displacedinthe vertical plane by the fingers of the selecting mechanism. f

The carriage consists essentially of an angle bar 8 and a cross bar.9 rigidly connected together. When, the carriage advances the bar 8 entrains those tappets which'are in their lower positions. Whenit returns the bar 9 engages the upper parts of the cross pieces of these tappets and returns them. The carriage, as willibe seen, surrounds the tappets and is independent of the bed. I Its reciprocating movement can be given it by any suiti able means. A weight 10 for example can serve to cause its return movement.

The automatic selecting mechanism comprises a fixed shaft 11 on which can pivot a series of beams 12 each having a perpendicular finger 13. To the respective ends of each beam are attached weights 7) and P. The

former is less than the latter, and must be sufiicient to actuate the beam when the weight P is lifted. To the latter: weight is attached: a cord 14 which connects it to the jacquard harness.

The apparatus comprises as many selecting 'devicesas the bed. contains tappets, and opcrates as follows Y A set of pattern cards being in position in the jacquard mechanism and the latter set 1n action, an upward movement is effected on all the members :of the harness corresponding to'the holes in the card in action. Thecorresponding weights P are raised. The corresponding weights 7] alone act on the beams which carry them. These swing on the shaft .11 and move to the position indicated in dotted lines at 12, while the fingers 13 pass 1-; tothe position 13. j j In the original position of the finger its end extends through the central opening into the bed and holds the corresponding tapped 6 raised. During the swinging of the beam which carries it to 13, the finger leaves the tappet which falls freely to the position 6' at the bottom of its seat in the bed.

Aswill be seen in the drawings all the raised tappets 6 escape engagement by the carriage;

effected.

Each space in when the latter moves forward, while those I by the cams in the lock for the purpose of effecting the actual knitting.

When the needles have been moved. into position, ment. and returned to their starting position.

At the end ofthis movement or even dur ing this movement the jacquard harness returns to its lower position and the tappets are returned to the1r upperrpositions by the fingers 13. The cycle then recommences;

The forward movement of the carriage and the selected tappets, and their return movement must take place during the dead por 'tions of the movement of the lock. Tithe knitting machine requires a movement to and .fro' of the lock for each row of stitches, the jacquard mechanism must be arranged to act only at every second dead portion of the lock movement.

Ifthe movement of the carriage is derived 'fromthe knitting machine the lifting of the jacquard harness must be completed bythe moment the forward'stroke of the carriage commences.' The lowering movement must not take place until the forward stroke is complete. The mechanism therefore works during the movement of the lock.

' Referring now to Figure 2, which shows a modified mechanism for lowering the selected tappets, the same reference numbers as in Figure 1 are employed for the same parts.

The beams and fingers are here dispensed with and the tappets lifted and lowered directly. The tappets 6 are directly connected :by any suitable means such as cords 17'passing over 1 pulleys 18, 19, with the weights P Which as before are connected to the jacquard harness by cords 14. There is of course one weight P per tappet. The mode of action of this embodiment will be obvious without further description.

Figure 3' shows an arrangement particularly adapted to so-called triple row knitting 1 machines in which in the working position 'the needles are arranged in the bed in three parallel rows.

'The first row comprises the needles forming the base fabric. The second row is at the level of the central lock and the thirdirow at the level of'the uppermost lock. As each of these positions corresponds to one colour of the design, it is essential to be able to move the needles at will either to the central or the uppermost row. The arrangement shown in Figure 3 enables this to be i the bed 1, 1 receivestwo superposed'tappets 6 and 15.

the carriage makes its return move-' The tappets are engaged by the bar 9- 7 .upper row,

The lower tappets 6 are selected and actuated exactly as described above with ence to Figure 1. The upper tappets 15 are selected raisedand lowered exactly as described above with reference to Figure 2. They are fedforward and returned by an upper carriage 8". This carriage is carried referforward by the lower carriage 8 when the latter hasmoved forward by a distance equal to that desired between the central and upper rows of needles.

At the/ end of the forward movement, the needles moved by the lower tappets form the those moved by the'upper tappets form the centre row, while the needles, remaining behind are in a suitable positionfor knitting the base fabric; g

' It will'be understood that each needle must be arranged, as by the provision of the lateral projection 20, so that-it can be actuated either by the upper tappet or the lower tappet.

What we claim is 1. In a knitting machine the combination of a standard jacquard selecting mechanism employing paper or card patterns exactly as used in weaving, a tappet for moving each needle into position for actuation by the lock,

a beam pivoted beneath each said tappet, a finger on said beam positioned to raise the corresponding tap'pet when said beam is rocket, means for rocking said beams controlled by said jacquard mechanism, and a reciprocating-carriage positioned to engage such of said tappets as have not been raised being raised, and a reciprocating carriage po 7 sitioned to engage such of said tappets as have not been raised and to clear such as have been raised. I i

3. In a knitting machine the combination of a-standa'rd jacquard selecting mechanism employing paper or card patterns exactly as used in weaving, a pair of tappets for movmg each needle into two respective positions 'for knitting operations, said tappets being arranged in two superposed tiers corresponding with said two positions, a beam pivoted beneath each tappet in one of said tiers, a

rocked, means for rocking said beams con trolled by said jacquard mechanism, atension member attached to each tappet of said other tier, means connecting said'tension finger on said beam positione'dto raise the V COITGSDOIldlIlg tappet-when said beam is members to said jacquard mechanism whereby selected tappets are prevented from being raised, and a reciprocating carriage positioned to engage such of said tappets as have not been raised and to clear such as have been raised.

4. In a knitting machine the combination of a standard jacquard selecting mechanism employing paper or card patterns exactly as used in weaving, a pair of tappets for moving each needle into two respective positions for knitting operations, said tappets being arranged in two superposed tiers corresponding with said two positions, a beam pivoted beneath each tappet in the lower of said tiers, a finger on said beam positioned to raise the cor-v responding tappet when said beam is rocked,

means for rocking said beams controlled by said jacquard mechanism, a tension member attached to each tappet of the upper of said tiers, means connecting said tension members to said jacquard mechanism whereby selected tappets are prevented from being raised, and a reciprocating carriage positioned to engage such of said tappets as have not been raised and to clear such as have been raised.

5. In a knitting machine the combination of a standard jacquard selecting mechanism employing paper or card patterns exactly as used in weaving, a tappet for moving each needle into position for actuation by the look, a cross-piece on the front of each said tappet, a reciprocating carriage adapted to feed for ward said tappets, means controlled by said jacquard mechanism for moving said tappets into and out of engagement with said carriage in accordance with the pattern, and a cross-bar on said carriage positioned to engage said cross-pieces and retract said tappets on the back stroke of said carriage.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JEAN GEDEON MARIE COUDERT.

JEAN BAPTISTE TERMIE. 

